— through swift response from Agriculture Ministry, National Flood Task Force

HEAVY and prolonged downpours on Monday resulted in inundation of several areas of Georgetown, but the heavy water-accumulation quickly receded after the authorities took swift action to ensure that all city pumps and sluices were in operation.

In what has become a common occurrence, many persons in Georgetown woke up on Monday morning to water in their yards and lower flats, in the streets and on the roads, due to the heavy rains which began in the wee hours of the morning.

High levels of water were evident in several city streets and walkways.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, in an invited comment to the Guyana Chronicle, said that the pumps and sluices across the city are in operation and are being closely monitored to drain the excess water from the city.

“We have 13 pumps in the city and all are operable; we had 91.1 mm of rainfall between 8am and 2pm and it was very high-intensity for a short period of time. That is why the water accumulated.”

At the time of the interview, the minister assured citizens that the water level in the city was slowly receding.

“The water in the low-lying areas is draining off because the pumps have been working in the morning. We are monitoring the pumps on a 24-hour basis. Operators are at the site to give whatever assistance to the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority.”

Additionally, the NDIA said that the kokers/sluices were opened from 14:00hrs to 18:30hrs to ensure the speedy drainage of floodwaters.

Meanwhile, members of the National Flood Taskforce, including its head, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, visited several locations across Georgetown to assess the impact of the water build-up.

Up to press time the water levels in residential areas such as Albouystown; West, East, North and South Ruimveldt; Bel Air Park; Wortmanville and downtown Georgetown were steadily receding.

The Hydrometeorological Service forecasts frequent rainfall along the coastland over the next 12 hours, and as such, all relevant agencies are on standby to respond to any impact or hindrances as a result of the rains.

Residents countrywide are advised to remain observant and take all necessary precautions during this time and report incidents of flooding to the National Emergency Monitoring System (NEMS) on 600-7500.

The Guyana Chronicle had previously reported that there will be a high chance of wetter than usual (above-normal) conditions across all 10 administrative regions of Guyana for the period of December 2021 until early February 2022.

According to a seasonal forecast and advisory for the secondary rainfall season issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, rainfall amounts and frequency are expected to increase as the season progresses.